TV to MBAhttps://tvtomba.wordpress.com
Musings of a TV Producer Turned MBA StudentTue, 20 Mar 2018 04:08:54 +0000enhourly1http://wordpress.com/https://s2.wp.com/i/buttonw-com.pngTV to MBAhttps://tvtomba.wordpress.com
A Little Present for Yahttps://tvtomba.wordpress.com/2017/12/24/a-little-present-for-ya/
https://tvtomba.wordpress.com/2017/12/24/a-little-present-for-ya/#respondMon, 25 Dec 2017 02:41:55 +0000http://tvtomba.wordpress.com/?p=1708Continue reading A Little Present for Ya]]>Hello from the great beyond! (By the great beyond, I of course mean this mystical time post-MBA graduation.) Predictably, my second year at Kellogg was just as crazy as the first one, but I did manage to graduate in June (yay!) and have been traveling and spending time with family and friends as I skate into a January start date in consulting.

Now, since I’ve got some time on my hands and Round 2 application deadlines are just around the corner, I want to offer some time up to the lovely folks still reading this blog. I’m offering essay reviews to the first two people to contact me about this blog post.

Hope you’re all having a super lovely holiday!

—

Image courtesy of Universal Pictures.

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]]>https://tvtomba.wordpress.com/2017/12/24/a-little-present-for-ya/feed/0xmastvtombaThat MBA Hustle and Flowhttps://tvtomba.wordpress.com/2016/09/13/that-mba-hustle-and-flow/
https://tvtomba.wordpress.com/2016/09/13/that-mba-hustle-and-flow/#respondTue, 13 Sep 2016 20:19:38 +0000http://tvtomba.wordpress.com/?p=1221Continue reading That MBA Hustle and Flow]]>Dusting off this post from the drafts bin because it brings to mind a couple of conversations I’ve had recently with folks applying to MBA programs about how to frame their experience in their applications. (No, it’s not just an excuse to share this oldie-but-goodie video of Taraji Henson behind the scenes on Empire.)

“What those choices were is far less relevant—or interesting, frankly. The real story is not the what or the when: it’s in the whys. […] What were the transitions that got you from your education to your work experience? Make sure the stories and examples you share give the interviewer a sense of your interests, passions, goals, values, decision-making framework, and personality. […] You are not just your resume. You are the white spaces in between, which can tell a story that’s just as important as the bullet points on your resume.”

This article is about job hunting, but storytelling is also incredibly important for MBA applications. Telling a compelling story (for jobs, a story weaving together the reasons behind your career choices so far; for MBA applications, a story showing the MBA as the missing link between your experience and your goals) shows the person evaluating you that you have a strategic, goal-oriented outlook about the choices you make.

And in your MBA applications, great storytelling is about even more than showing that you’ve got your sh*t together. Business schools want to admit people that they know will be successful, and your great application story is a signal that you’re directed and strategic enough to get yourself hired, which is incredibly valuable.

So as you prep your applications, here are some questions that might help you tease out your story:

The big one: How does an MBA from this school help bridge the gap between my past experience and my long- and short-term goals? What skills and knowledge do I need to achieve my goals, and what resources at this school will help me get those skills and knowledge?

For each job that you’ve had: Why did you take this job? What did you learn from it, and why did you leave it? How do those reasons tie into one another and into a larger narrative about your career trajectory?

For your goals: What is your short-term career goal? What is your long-term career goal? How do they tie together, and what are other ways that you can go from an MBA to your long-term goal?

Once you’ve thought about these things: What’s a one- or two-sentence shortened version of your stories (why MBA, career progression to date)? Bringing your stories down to a simple, crystallized form should help you focus and internalize them.

Hope that’s helpful! Happy MBA hunting!

—

Image courtesy of Paramount Classics.

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]]>https://tvtomba.wordpress.com/2016/09/13/that-mba-hustle-and-flow/feed/0taraji-p-henson_108241tvtombaAn Update! And a Confession.https://tvtomba.wordpress.com/2016/08/22/an-update-and-a-confession/
https://tvtomba.wordpress.com/2016/08/22/an-update-and-a-confession/#commentsMon, 22 Aug 2016 14:41:14 +0000http://tvtomba.wordpress.com/?p=1572Continue reading An Update! And a Confession.]]>Oh hey there. So, first things first, I’m SUPER sorry about totally falling off the face of the earth and not posting during first year. Things happened, man, and they happened fast, and there were just so many of them.

So now that that’s out of the way, here’s a super-quick update about how the first year of business school went: I stretched and challenged myself, met a ton of amazing and surprising people, learned so many new things, visited places I never thought I’d go, and ate a lot of delicious meals in Chicago. If I can get my act together (let’s hope), I’ll post soon about some of those experiences.

…I also kind of changed course, career-wise. I applied to business school thinking that I would go into entertainment marketing, but instead I recruited for (and last week signed a full-time offer in) management consulting. Whaaaaaaaat?

So here’s the full story. Last summer I had a real talk moment with myself about what I wanted to do after school. The decision came from a swirl of thoughts: wanting to continue my education after b school, feeling like I should take the opportunity to get a great brand name on my resume, wanting to make different choices than I’d made before, and wanting a job that would broaden my opportunities coming out of it.

And to me, consulting seemed like the best shot at getting all the things I wanted.

I decided I would recruit for the four heaviest-hitting consulting firms: McKinsey, BCG, Bain, and Deloitte. My main Plan B was to apply to entertainment internships, and I put together a list of 100+ media internships, ready to pounce if I needed to. I also threw my hat in for a few other positions on campus, like marketing consultancies and Mattel. I was lucky enough to land a couple of consulting internship offers within the first few weeks of recruitment, so I set Plan B aside.

Do I think consulting is what all non-traditional people should go into? Nope, totally not. I know entertainment folks who went into tech internships or into analytics roles at companies like Nike, which are also awesome ways to round out their experience. I also know of other entertainment folks who want to pursue consulting. All are good choices as long as you know what you’re shooting for.

But I wanted you to know the update and why I changed my mind. I’ll be posting some resources for consulting recruitment and (hopefully, again, if I can get my act together) information about recruiting for a super traditional industry from a non-traditional / entertainment background.

Thanks for reading! Hope to see you around these parts again soon. And thanks to the readers who’ve reached out to me to chat — it’s been awesome meeting you guys, so keep the hellos coming!

xo, Jackie

—

Image courtesy of Screen Gems.

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]]>https://tvtomba.wordpress.com/2016/08/22/an-update-and-a-confession/feed/4easyA6tvtomba#OscarsSoWhite: A Perspective on Diversity in Hollywoodhttps://tvtomba.wordpress.com/2016/02/27/oscarssowhite-a-perspective-on-diversity-in-hollywood/
https://tvtomba.wordpress.com/2016/02/27/oscarssowhite-a-perspective-on-diversity-in-hollywood/#respondSat, 27 Feb 2016 16:26:41 +0000http://tvtomba.wordpress.com/?p=1496Continue reading #OscarsSoWhite: A Perspective on Diversity in Hollywood]]>It’s been a while since my last post, which unfortunately isn’t a surprise because business school is ridiculous. I survived recruiting and have a lot of thoughts about the start of school, so expect new posts to come your way before too long (hopefully) about that.

In the meantime, I want to share a piece I wrote for Kellogg’s student news startup #daybreaK (think The Skimm for Kellogg, started by my awesome friend Rachel) about diversity and the Oscars:

#OscarsSoWhite is so hot right now. And it’s an extension of a larger conversation this past year about diversity in Hollywood across both racial and gender lines. As a biracial woman who worked in entertainment, I’m passionate about this convo and have been keeping up as best I can (thanks a lot, recruiting).

So as we head into Oscars weekend, here is some background for you to explore.

This BuzzFeed video is a two-minute roundup of stats about gender and race in Hollywood. SNL also got a word in with a hyper-transparent parody of the Oscars.

Curious about what working in Hollywood is like if you’re not a straight white man? This latest batch of stories from celebrities like Julia Roberts, Ken Jeong, and Mindy Kaling has you covered.

Jessica Chastain wrote an essay about The Zookeeper’s Wife, the most female-heavy set she’s been on. “It’s a very collaborative experience. […] There are no strange power plays or egos. We know how rare making this kind of film is. We’re giddy with happiness.” That unbelievably female-heavy shoot? About 20% women. So many ladies, amirite?

Also! Breaking News: Yesterday Jessica Chastain and other Hollywood heavy-hitters announced the creation of We Do It Together, a new nonprofit dedicated to financing media dedicated to women’s empowerment.

So why does this matter?This quote from Ava DuVernay (one of my entertainment heroes, the director of Selma whose Barbie doll sold out within an hour) nails it: “Everyone should be able to see themselves. Images and balance in storytelling, our imagination, is something that should be embraced and widened and expanded. So that’s what I’m hoping this does.”

Representation in Hollywood is about more than checking the diversity box. It’s about creating a content landscape that reflects us all and shares the richness of our experiences so we can learn to understand each other and imagine our own wild, uncharted possibilities. Media influences culture. The stories we consume shape us. We deserve better.

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]]>https://tvtomba.wordpress.com/2016/02/27/oscarssowhite-a-perspective-on-diversity-in-hollywood/feed/0Nate D. Sanders Auctions Collection Of Academy Award Oscar Statuettes Set To Be Auctionedtvtombabuzzfeednailsvariety coverMid-December Advice for Round 2 Applicantshttps://tvtomba.wordpress.com/2015/12/15/mid-december-advice-for-round-2-applicants/
https://tvtomba.wordpress.com/2015/12/15/mid-december-advice-for-round-2-applicants/#respondTue, 15 Dec 2015 19:52:37 +0000http://tvtomba.wordpress.com/?p=1340Continue reading Mid-December Advice for Round 2 Applicants]]>Holy crap it’s December!! I just narrowly survived finals (YAY!), and you are in the final stretch into submitting R2 applications. Hopefully at this point you’ve taken a crack at your essays and resume, you’ve taken the GMAT at least once, and your recommenders know that they’re going to be writing recs for you.

This time of year was really stressful for me, so I’ve got a few pieces of advice for you at this stage of the process, as well as a collection of some resources to help you prep!

Some Advice…

Plug Your Holes. What about your application still worries you? Take the time to face those red flags head-on and address them in your application. For example, if you aren’t happy with your GMAT score, you can mention in the optional essay that you are taking quant classes to prepare for the MBA. The optional essay is your friend here — explain why your red flags happened and how you’ve learned from them.

Lock In Your Story. I like to think of MBA application stories as: Experience + MBA = Goals. What’s in your equation? Mine was that my TV background and producing leadership skills + MBA business knowledge and analytics skills = working in data-driven TV marketing. Once you know your story, review your application and make sure that your story comes through as clearly as possible, as often as possible.

Get School-Specific. Once you’re nearing the finish line, it’s a good idea to make sure that your application reflects your interest in the specific school you’re applying to. It’s good to mention classes, clubs, or a professor’s name, but it’s even better to talk about your experience visiting or talking to students (A-) and how you think you can give back to the school (A+).

Don’t Freak Out. This one’s hilarious because it’s almost impossible, BUT it’s important to keep perspective and not let the stress of MBA applications run you into the ground. My biggest regret from the application process was that I stressed out a TON and didn’t take time to celebrate the little wins. So basically, don’t forget to treat yo self. You deserve it!

Resume Stuff: mbaMission has some good blog posts about reviewing your resume to make sure that it passes the high school test (jargon-free and explained simply enough that a high schooler would understand) and the CEO test (demonstrates impact and how you affected the bottom line).

School Stuff: I loved Clear Admit’s school guides, which are a great go-to resource to learn more about your schools. For a limited time, they’re offering a 50% off discount with coupon code ROUNDTWO2015. And mbaMission has a great blog post about writing school-specific essays.

Checklists: Clear Admit has a quick overview of where you should be at this point in the process. And Admissionado has a checklist for right before you’re ready to submit (maybe a week or two out). (NOTE: Don’t look at the Admissionado one until you’ve finished drafting your application.)

If you’ve made it through this whole thing and you have questions or are feeling nervsey, this is a great time to drop me a line — I’ve got a few weeks of freedom before heading back into recruiting in January. Good luck!

—

Image courtesy of New Line Cinema.

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]]>https://tvtomba.wordpress.com/2015/12/15/mid-december-advice-for-round-2-applicants/feed/0still-of-will-ferrell-and-bob-newhart-in-elf-(2003)-large-picturetvtombaStranded in Oakland = Finally, Time to Write!https://tvtomba.wordpress.com/2015/11/22/stranded-in-oakland-finally-time-to-write/
https://tvtomba.wordpress.com/2015/11/22/stranded-in-oakland-finally-time-to-write/#respondSun, 22 Nov 2015 09:03:33 +0000http://tvtomba.wordpress.com/?p=1266Continue reading Stranded in Oakland = Finally, Time to Write!]]>Oh hey there! Greetings from a lovely Oakland airport hotel, where I’m spending the night before heading to LA for the start of Thanksgiving break. For those of you who aren’t traveling or who don’t live in the Midwest, we had our first snowstorm of the year yesterday, after a long fall of temperatures in the 50s. Winter is here, y’all. And it doesn’t give a crap about our travel plans.

On the upside, I met a very nice Kellogg grad (class of ’82) who is also stranded at this airport hotel, and the staff here is very nice, even though I look (and feel) a little (a lot) crazy.

Also on the upside, having a little break from my plans is giving me some time to write! I’ve been dying to tell you about so many things, but this MBA thing really is as hectic as people say it is, and it’s been very hard to find time to reflect and write. But that changes tonight!

Thoughts about two things tonight:

1. Starting B School

Oh man, so much I could write here, so I’ll go really high-level right now. The start of business school is SUPER crazy. You move across the country (potentially), start learning to become a student again, get involved in extracurricular leadership, then start recruiting for summer internships — all within a couple of months!

It’s a lot to adjust to, and it is challenging. Making new friends as an adult (which we can all agree is tough, right?), learning how to learn, managing time, trying not to lose your mind about recruiting, resisting the temptation to constantly compare yourself with your super talented peers. It’s a lot.

BUT. For all its challenges, b school is an amazing experience. I came here to learn, to gain new skills, and to have new experiences, and I am getting so much of all of those things. I’ve run my very first regression, been accepted to an experiential analytical consulting course for next winter, and will be spending my spring break in Kenya and Tanzania learning about social enterprise. I can’t imagine having these opportunities anywhere but b school, and I am constantly reminded that this really was the right choice for me.

Coming in with an unusual background, I was nervous about a few things. Would I be able to keep up in class? Will people take me seriously? Will I be able to connect with these MBA people? The answer to everything has been a big fat YES. Classes are challenging for everyone, and even though I have to catch up on the basics, I don’t feel like I’m the slow gazelle in class. People are super excited about my background, and I have met some very like-minded (read: food-obsessed) people at Kellogg who I spend a lot of time with.

2. Applying to B School

I’ve been tracking this blog’s stats, and views are starting to go up, even though I haven’t posted anything super substantial lately. I’m guessing this is because people are starting to gear up into maximum Round 2 application anxiety mode? If this is you, welcome! You are not alone.

At this point last year, I had just taken the GMAT, was working on my resume, and was starting to nail down my career goals and overall application story. I remember this time between Thanksgiving and January being very stressful and very emotional. Something about the MBA application made me feel like it was a test / evaluation of my worth as a human being (anyone else feel that way?). Remember that it’s not, and try to keep in mind that stat that 80% of applicants are qualified for admission to b school. You are the 80%!

Some advice I got last year that was really helpful was to keep coming back to this equation in your application: Experience + MBA = Career Goal. Make this as tight as possible, and explain the reasoning it all. Why, after your past work experience, are you going after your career goal? What specific skills and knowledge are you missing that your MBA will give you? What unique opportunities will each MBA program give you that will lead you straight to your goal? Doing the work here will pay off when it comes time to write / polish essays and when you go in for interviews.

Wherever you are in the process, remember that you’re awesome and you got this. Wishing you a ton of luck and a very happy Thanksgiving!

]]>https://tvtomba.wordpress.com/2015/11/22/stranded-in-oakland-finally-time-to-write/feed/0winter_is_coming_game_of_thrones_9019wfzgottvtombaFeatured on Accepted.com!https://tvtomba.wordpress.com/2015/10/27/featured-on-accepted-com/
https://tvtomba.wordpress.com/2015/10/27/featured-on-accepted-com/#respondTue, 27 Oct 2015 18:26:00 +0000http://tvtomba.wordpress.com/?p=1228Continue reading Featured on Accepted.com!]]>I’ve been kind of a shy bird about this for some reason, but I figure it’s time to just own it: I was featured on Accepted.com’s blog! They asked me to answer some questions about my MBA application experience, and I did. I answered a LOT, you guys. So verbose.

Click through to read the whole interview, if you’re interested. I do some talking about things I’ve mentioned on the blog so far but haven’t gone into a ton of detail about, like building story and some reflections about life at Kellogg so far.

Hope you enjoy it!

—

Image courtesy of Universal Pictures.

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]]>https://tvtomba.wordpress.com/2015/10/27/featured-on-accepted-com/feed/0maxresdefaulttvtombaScreen Shot 2015-10-25 at 10.32.22 PMStop. Forté Time.https://tvtomba.wordpress.com/2015/10/24/stop-forte-time-2/
https://tvtomba.wordpress.com/2015/10/24/stop-forte-time-2/#commentsSat, 24 Oct 2015 18:02:00 +0000http://tvtomba.wordpress.com/?p=1207Continue reading Stop. Forté Time.]]>It’s Forté time! Any ladies out there planning to apply to start their MBA in 2017 should look into this program — I’m a past participant and huge fan and can’t recommend it highly enough. Applications are open until November 15th!

The MBALaunch locations for this upcoming year are Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Washington DC, Boston, Houston, London, and Toronto. If you live near but not in one of those cities, you can travel to the city for the initial launch event then join Forté’s virtual program for the rest of the year.

Have you decided to get an MBA but don’t have the network to stay focused or don’t feel prepared enough to make grad school a reality? Get focused with Forté MBALaunch, a 10-month program that pairs women seeking an MBA with a support network and provides a structured roadmap for applying to business schools.

2 in-person events to connect with women that have the same goal as you

Cost to Participate

$25 application fee + $500 program fee. Upon completion of the program, you’ll receive application fee waivers from more than 20 Forté schools and discounts from leading GMAT test prep providers and admissions consultants that can recoup the total cost of MBALaunch.

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]]>https://tvtomba.wordpress.com/2015/10/24/stop-forte-time-2/feed/5canttouchthis2tvtombalaunch-card16Interview Guides + Admissions Boardshttps://tvtomba.wordpress.com/2015/10/21/interview-guides-admissions-boards/
https://tvtomba.wordpress.com/2015/10/21/interview-guides-admissions-boards/#respondWed, 21 Oct 2015 06:14:35 +0000http://tvtomba.wordpress.com/?p=1195Continue reading Interview Guides + Admissions Boards]]>Hello from midterm week! Still working on an update about life at Kellogg, as well as some new application-related info. I didn’t realize when people said that business school life was super busy, they really meant SUPER BUSY. People say it’s like drinking from a fire hose, but I think it’s more like being in that gasoline dance party sequence from Zoolander — so fun but a crazy high potential for burnout. (Too soon? RIP.)

Anyway…here are some useful application-related things that have hit my inbox lately:

MBAMission recently sent out a link to their free interview guides, for any round 1 applicants who have heard back about interviews. (If that’s you, congrats!)

And now for some conflicting info…

First, Clear Admit’s MBA LiveWire is buzzing with admissions updates from round 1 applicants. Second, Stacy Blackman just sent a great e-mail to her listserv about not listening to MBA message boards. Here it is, quick and abridged:

“At worst, participation in these online conversations can subconsciously influence your application strategy and send you off in the wrong direction. […] They are not adcom members and cannot judge your odds of being accepted somewhere, nor do they have any special insight into a certain school’s admissions process, as much as they might like to think they do. […]

Nothing good has ever come from listening to—or comparing yourself to—other business school hopefuls. Use that precious time to beef up your resume, work on your essays, or do something else productive.”

Keep your head in the game and best of luck with your applications!

—

Image courtesy of Paramount Pictures.

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]]>https://tvtomba.wordpress.com/2015/10/21/interview-guides-admissions-boards/feed/0Screen Shot 2015-10-21 at 1.09.18 AMtvtombaNetflix Knows When You’re Hookedhttps://tvtomba.wordpress.com/2015/09/26/netflix-knows-when-youre-hooked/
https://tvtomba.wordpress.com/2015/09/26/netflix-knows-when-youre-hooked/#respondSat, 26 Sep 2015 19:41:23 +0000http://tvtomba.wordpress.com/?p=1174Continue reading Netflix Knows When You’re Hooked]]>Oh man, you guys. This is wonderful. Netflix has released the results of a study it did of when people get hooked on TV shows. They defined the “hooked episode” as the episode after which 70% of viewers went on to complete the first season of that show.

The big news from the study (which isn’t really all that surprising, intuitively):

“In our research of more than 20 shows across 16 markets, we found that no one was ever hooked on the pilot. This gives us confidence that giving our members all episodes at once is more aligned with how fans are made.” –Ted Sarandos (emphasis mine)

So, why does this matter?

From Netflix’s POV…

Netflix is using this study as validation that binge-watching is indeed the way people want to be watching TV — if you’re not hooked by a show’s first episode, it’s better to give you the entire season at once so you can get to the “hooked episode” in a matter of hours, instead of in a month.

…And beyond.

This is also important because it undermines the traditional importance of a show’s pilot episode. “The notion that it may take several episodes for a show to gain traction is anathema at networks, where the clock starts to tick as soon as a pilot airs, and pressure is on to cancel any series that isn’t immediately performing.” (Fast Company)

It’s not surprising that pilot episodes aren’t when people get hooked on shows. Writers have a lot of work to do in a pilot to set up the characters, story arcs, and world of the show. It’s a lot of exposition, which is generally accepted as the least exciting aspect of storytelling.

What’s exciting about this is the possibility that (with access to the right data) we could dig deeper, better understand how and when viewers get hooked (both while binge-watching and on a normal TV schedule), and adjust programming strategy accordingly to lower the cancellation rate. That would mean less money burned on shows that die early (RIP Selfie) and the opportunity to develop more shows’ audiences over multiple seasons (you’re welcome, advertisers).

But Before You Etch This Into a stone Tablet…

This study obviously isn’t perfect, so it’s worth mentioning a few reasons why it shouldn’t be considered gospel. First there’s the small sample size. The study only covers 25 shows, some of which weren’t even available in all the territories studied.

We also don’t know how Netflix chose the shows they looked into — there might be shows out there that did hook people right from the start but that weren’t included in this study. (Intuitively I doubt that there are a ton of shows that hook people right from the beginning, but who knows.)

Also, the shows they looked into are hits for their respective networks or huge blockbusters, and many of them (like Breaking Bad and Mad Men) had amazing reputations long before this data was collected (January – July 2015). How did that influence viewing patterns? If you didn’t know when you started watching Breaking Bad that it was an epic hit, would you have needed more than two episodes to get hooked?

Want to learn more?

Click through to this Fast Company article for a list (spoiler warning!) of the episodes that got people hooked on Bates Motel, House of Cards, Pretty Little Liars, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, and more. And check out the Netflix press release about the study for more information about their results and methodology.

(Also, if you want to experience a phenomenal pilot episode, watch the very first episode of Grey’s Anatomy. Hands-down my favorite pilot ever!)

—

Images courtesy of Netflix.

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]]>https://tvtomba.wordpress.com/2015/09/26/netflix-knows-when-youre-hooked/feed/03051434-inline-i-1-netflixgraphictvtomba3051434-inline-i-1-netflixhookedThree Weeks In: Just Too Much to Keep Track Ofhttps://tvtomba.wordpress.com/2015/09/24/three-weeks-in-just-too-much-to-keep-track-of/
https://tvtomba.wordpress.com/2015/09/24/three-weeks-in-just-too-much-to-keep-track-of/#respondThu, 24 Sep 2015 18:20:00 +0000http://tvtomba.wordpress.com/?p=1163Continue reading Three Weeks In: Just Too Much to Keep Track Of]]>I’m three weeks in to my Kellogg experience, and a LOT has already happened. I became a little b school famous, survived orientation, finished two pre-term classes (including finals last weekend), had my last first day of school on Monday, and have already interviewed for extracurricular leadership positions.

People were not kidding when they said that starting an MBA program is like trying to drink from a fire hose, and I’m working on some posts about my first experiences at Kellogg to give you a sense of what that’s been like. Stay tuned for those!

Be Willing to Take the Hits

Some highlights:

“One of the most rewarding, yet one of the most uncomfortable, parts of the MBA admissions process is getting to know yourself – especially what made you who you are today, which can sometimes include difficult hardships or memories. […T]hrough introspection, I found a way to professionally incorporate my skills with my passion and have the courage to own it.”

“You’re going to get knocked down, you’re going to wonder why you didn’t just stay where you were, but then you realize why you got in the ring. Applying to MBA programs is hard. Writing multiple essays is hard. […] Explaining to family members, spouses, and friends that you want to step out of the workforce for a couple of years is hard. But guess what – wondering why you never tried your dream job – that’s harder.”

I hope these quotes inspire you to dig deep and kick ass on your applications! They make me so excited for you and the journey ahead of you!!

(Also, congratulations to everyone who submitted in round 1 so far! I hope you have a chance to celebrate that accomplishment — you deserve it!)

—

Image courtesy of ABC Studios.

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]]>https://tvtomba.wordpress.com/2015/09/24/three-weeks-in-just-too-much-to-keep-track-of/feed/0Lost_season6_last_supper_3tvtomba8 Reasons Women Should Consider Business Schoolhttps://tvtomba.wordpress.com/2015/09/12/8-reasons-women-should-consider-business-school/
https://tvtomba.wordpress.com/2015/09/12/8-reasons-women-should-consider-business-school/#respondSat, 12 Sep 2015 21:16:00 +0000http://tvtomba.wordpress.com/?p=1158Continue reading 8 Reasons Women Should Consider Business School]]>Excited to say that through the Forté Foundation, I was interviewed for this piece on Levo League about why women should consider going to business school!

Some highlights:

4. Because business school isn’t just for “business people.”

At the University of Michigan, 25 percent of first year b-school students had liberal arts majors as undergrads. “Women should have confidence knowing that what we’re looking for is a diversity of thought,” said Diana Economy. “The most common misconception is that business school is only for people who want to go into what they feel is ‘traditional business’: investment banking, consulting, and operations roles. The MBA offers incredible diversity in terms of post-MBA options. I have friends who are in leadership roles within school districts, they are consulting for non-profits, they are creating sustainable supply chains in emerging markets. I think an MBA program is a place where you can marry your passion with your profession.”

8. Because you’ll broaden your horizons, sharpen your skills, and get better at what you’re best at.

“I’m surprised at how much I’m interested in venturing outside of my comfort zone to meet different types of people and learn different types of subjects than what I’m typically used to,” said Sonie Guseh, 27, a second year MBA candidate at Columbia Business School. “I’m learning so much about myself and the world around me through school, and that’s an incredible part of the experience.”

—

Image courtesy of 20th Century Fox.

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]]>https://tvtomba.wordpress.com/2015/09/12/8-reasons-women-should-consider-business-school/feed/0335dc1fc4c8d963f704a06ea84fetvtombaApply to MLT Faster (and Furiouser?) Than Everhttps://tvtomba.wordpress.com/2015/09/09/apply-to-mlt-faster-and-furiouser-than-ever/
https://tvtomba.wordpress.com/2015/09/09/apply-to-mlt-faster-and-furiouser-than-ever/#respondWed, 09 Sep 2015 20:29:00 +0000http://tvtomba.wordpress.com/?p=1152Continue reading Apply to MLT Faster (and Furiouser?) Than Ever]]>MLT’s first round MBA Prep application deadline is on September 15th, and they really want you to apply! They’ve created a guide to completing their application in seven days or less and note that they know of people who’ve completed their entire application in two days!

I didn’t do MLT, but I know a bunch of people at Kellogg who did and who have come into school with a strong community of other MLTers and some amazing scholarships as a result of their participation. So make sure to check out the program and apply if you’re interested!

More about MLT:

More than 5,000 high potential minorities have benefited from our programs. Last year, 98% of our MBA Prep Fellows entered a Top 25 Business School. One year from today, you yourself could be applying to a top business school with MLT’s help.

Submit your application before September 10th and receive a VIP access code to attend an exclusive virtual fireside chat with Willie Green, Admissions Officer with Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business on 9/10 at 8PM EDT.

Your next step toward getting into a top rated MBA program starts with submitting your application before the Round 1 deadline. For questions about the application process, the MBA Prep Program or MLT, please visit our website, email us at mbap-recruiting@ml4t.org, or call the MBA Prep hotline from 10am – 5pm at (202) 793-8551.

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]]>https://tvtomba.wordpress.com/2015/09/09/apply-to-mlt-faster-and-furiouser-than-ever/feed/0vin-diesel-paul-walker-the-fast-and-the-furious-universal-090815tvtombaNYMag’s “She’s the Boss” Serieshttps://tvtomba.wordpress.com/2015/09/03/nymags-shes-the-boss-series/
https://tvtomba.wordpress.com/2015/09/03/nymags-shes-the-boss-series/#respondThu, 03 Sep 2015 20:59:00 +0000http://tvtomba.wordpress.com/?p=1120Continue reading NYMag’s “She’s the Boss” Series]]>A little late to the game here, but I just stumbled upon NYMag‘s “She’s the Boss” series, which is full of great articles about being a lady in the business world. A couple of my favorite pieces were “25 Famous Women on Being in Charge” and “Everything I Learned Leading a Fortune 500 Company,” an interview with Lynn Good, the first female CEO of Duke Energy.

Some highlights:

Lynn Good
“Always play to your strengths, whether your strengths are gender-based or just natural aptitude. You’re well-spoken, or you’re very analytical, or you’re a great team-builder, or you’re great with relationships … Playing to your strengths is always something good to build on, because you’re trying to develop a foundation to keep growing, as a professional and as a leader. [… T]his issue of stereotypes, behavior that’s consistent with gender, I think every woman needs to evaluate how those things help your effectiveness, because ultimately what you’re trying to do is be the most effective leader, the most effective professional, and you want to add to your foundational strengths, and not detract from them.”

Jenna Lyons
“Managing creative people — not so easy. A lot of emotion, a lot of stroking. Some people need tough love. Some people need a lot of love. There’s no right or wrong answer. When someone creates something and puts it in front of you, that thing came from inside of them, and if you make them feel bad, it’s going to be hard to fix, because you’ve actually crushed them.” —Fast Company, April 2013

Mindy Kaling
“Well, [being a boss] was the thing I was kind of most excited about. You know, I came into the new show thinking, oh, let me have this democratic way of doing the show because I remember what it was like being a staff writer … At the beginning, I started at the show being a little bit too democratic … I just didn’t want to, like, overcorrect and become, like, the Saddam Hussein of the new job … [I]t was a really interesting learning experience, deciding that I have to just be very decisive and not take everyone’s opinion.’” —NPR, September 2012

Marissa Mayer
“I realized in all the cases where I was happy with the decision I made, there were two common threads: Surround myself with the smartest people who challenge you to think about things in new ways, and do something you are not ready to do so you can learn the most.” —Los Angeles Times, January 2011

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]]>https://tvtomba.wordpress.com/2015/09/03/nymags-shes-the-boss-series/feed/0Ripley_and_Newt_in_HivetvtombaOrientation Day 1: Accidentally Kellogg-Famous?https://tvtomba.wordpress.com/2015/09/01/kellogg-cim-day-1-one-of-you/
https://tvtomba.wordpress.com/2015/09/01/kellogg-cim-day-1-one-of-you/#commentsTue, 01 Sep 2015 22:55:00 +0000http://tvtomba.wordpress.com/?p=1132Continue reading Orientation Day 1: Accidentally Kellogg-Famous?]]>Yesterday was the first day of orientation (CIM — Complete Immersion in Management) at Kellogg. There is already so much I want to write about my experience at Kellogg so far, from their Social Impact Days event to the people to the KWEST trip I just went on to Peru (more on that soon).

But I am just so jazzed about this first day of orientation that I need to write about it RIGHT NOW. We were assigned our sections for fall quarter (go Big Dogs!) and listened to some speeches, including one by Dean Sally Blount, undoubtedly the most badass woman in the MBA dean game. We also did a choose-your-own-adventure leadership simulation based on a climb up Mt. Everest.

For me though, the very best part of all was during Kellogg’s MBA-famous “One of You” speech, delivered by Kate Smith, Assistant Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid. In this speech, she highlights the diversity of the incoming class by listing off some of our classmates’ accomplishments. There were so many impressive achievements, from starting non-profits benefiting underprivileged children, to convincing Melinda Gates to invest $100M in a development project, to Ironman triathletes and professional musicians.

Then… “One of you interviewed cast and designed challenges as a producer on shows like The Biggest Loser and Joe Schmo 3.” You guys…THAT’S ME! And I’m so excited to tell you about this because it goes to show that we non-traditional people really are unusual and valuable and totally brag-worthy. (For real though, I’m even in the Kellogg news feature about the speech.)

So if you’re a non-traditional candidate working on your applications or looking into applying, keep your head in the game. It’s a lot of hard work, and we have more to prove than traditional candidates, but there are programs out there that want you and students out there who will be so excited to have you as one of them.

Earlier this week, Kat put together a post full of great advice and resources for women who are starting MBA programs. I was thrilled to get a shout-out in the post (thanks Kat!) and want to share a few highlights and takeaways with you!

The Highlight Reel

It gets busy fast. This is something I’ve heard over and over again from students in various MBA programs. Within the first couple of months, you’ll have started classes, applied for extracurricular leadership positions, and started prepping for recruiting. Folks I’ve talked to have recommended making a short list of priorities before school and letting those priorities guide how you budget your time.

Don’t stress too much about grades. This applies for a couple of reasons. First, many schools have a grade non-disclosure policy, which means that employers don’t get to see your grades. Then second, even if your school (like Kellogg) does disclose grades, only a couple of industries like banking and consulting will request them. Also, you’ll need to…

Make time for networking and social events. This is a huge reason why people de-emphasize the importance of their grades — going to business school is also about building a network and connecting with your fellow students. We haven’t started at Kellogg yet, but I’m already so excited to be part of this class of accomplished, diverse, brilliant peers. It’s hard to say no to spending time with them!

Just do the best you can. This is the big one, right? Most MBA students are Type A overachievers, and I think it’s natural for us to want to take advantage of every opportunity and make sure every choice is the right choice. But that’s not possible, so be kind to yourself and do the best you can with the time, resources, and information you have. (We’ll see how good I am at taking that advice once school starts…)

Bonus: Advice from Kellogg’s Career Center

Mind the artificial pressure. I recently had the chance to chat with Mark Gasche, the Managing Director of Kellogg’s Center for Career Management. He mentioned that students fall prey to pressure that they put on themselves, especially during recruiting when it’s tempting to measure your success by the success of your peers. His advice was to enjoy the experience of being here and not to be swept away by this artificial pressure, since it’s more likely to hurt than to help.

If you’re digging these highlights, make sure to check out the full post at Corporette for all its info-y goodness, including advice from MBAs in the comments and reading list suggestions!

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]]>https://tvtomba.wordpress.com/2015/08/30/corporettes-tips-for-full-time-mba-students/feed/0pocahontas-64tvtombaMBA Intel Sessions: What I Learnedhttps://tvtomba.wordpress.com/2015/08/24/mba-intel-sessions-what-i-learned/
https://tvtomba.wordpress.com/2015/08/24/mba-intel-sessions-what-i-learned/#respondMon, 24 Aug 2015 22:05:00 +0000http://tvtomba.wordpress.com/?p=876Continue reading MBA Intel Sessions: What I Learned]]>My last post was about setting up informational interviews with students and/or alumni from your target schools. I did a bunch of these intel sessions as I was applying, and I got great information not just about each school, but also about how to package myself as an applicant.

During my informational interview phase, I spoke to four students at UCLA Anderson, one Kellogg student, two Kellogg alums, a student at Indiana Kelley, a student at NYU Stern, and a student at Stanford GSB. Here is what I learned from them!

About School

I asked school-specific questions during each interview, but I won’t recap all that here. I asked about what matters to me — class size, experiential opportunities, career services, alumni responsiveness, and the entertainment scene at each school. And always ask if there’s anyone else you should connect with — Anderson students really shone in that regard; after each intel session they’d give me one or two more people to reach out to!

I also asked everyone I talked to about their experience as a student. Many people echoed that it’s important to prioritize. What about the MBA experience is essential to you? One person put it simply: you go to school for one of three reasons — networking, education, or a job — pick which is most important to you and let that drive how you spend your time.

A fantastic insight about non-traditional candidates came from an Anderson student who worked in casting pre-MBA. She said that finance was challenging for her, but non-traditional candidates get more out of an MBA program than people from more common backgrounds. Finance people go from a 5 to a 6 by getting their MBAs; we go from a 1 to a 5. We may not catch up, but we grow so much more.

About Applying

The big takeaway, which was repeated by several of the folks I talked to, was this: package yourself in a way that makes you an easy sell for recruiting. I think this is essential, especially for non-traditional applicants. Each school’s goal is to get you hired after graduation, so having airtight career goals and strategy demonstrates that you’re setting yourself up for success and are a low-risk choice.

The students I spoke with advised me to emphasize experiences that have taught me to think strategically and analytically, as well as my relationship-building and networking skills, since they are vital to building a career in entertainment (which is my target industry post-MBA).

They also told me not to think about WHEN I get in to school, not IF I’ll get in. There are obviously no guarantees in MBA admissions, but making that mindset change when it counted (like during admissions interviews) helped me focus on why I’d be a great admit so I could best represent myself while applying.

About Entertainment

Entertainment can be a bit of a challenge in terms of recruiting. More traditional industries like consulting and banking have set hiring schedules, but entertainment requires a constant hustle to land internships and jobs. Schools in media centers like LA and NYC are great because they offer the opportunity to do internships during the year to beef up your resume.

These students told me that if I want to pursue entertainment post-MBA, I should start talking to alumni early. They also told me to reset my expectations — entertainment isn’t an MBA-heavy field (just yet), so the starting salaries and titles are sometimes lower than what your cohorts will be offered in other industries.

I had the opportunity to speak with a couple of MBA students who came from entertainment, and their biggest and best advice was about putting the time in to build a story that links my pre-MBA experience with my post-MBA goals. These students worked on multiple iterations of their stories, working with the career center for feedback and using informational interviews as tests to see how alumni reacted.

What Now?

Start reaching out! These students are more than happy to connect. Head on over to my last post for some ideas about where to find these students and what to ask ’em!

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]]>https://tvtomba.wordpress.com/2015/08/24/mba-intel-sessions-what-i-learned/feed/0Ocean's Eleven 1tvtomba15-Minute Admish Tip: Set Up Intel Sessionshttps://tvtomba.wordpress.com/2015/08/21/15-minute-admish-tip-set-up-intel-sessions/
https://tvtomba.wordpress.com/2015/08/21/15-minute-admish-tip-set-up-intel-sessions/#respondFri, 21 Aug 2015 21:24:00 +0000http://tvtomba.wordpress.com/?p=867Continue reading 15-Minute Admish Tip: Set Up Intel Sessions]]>At last year’s Forté conference, I was waiting for lunch next to an Anderson student who couldn’t decide what sandwich she wanted. I offered to get a second kind and share with her, so we ate lunch together. After the event, she connected me with another Anderson student, who then introduced me to another, and another…you get the idea.

When I was standing in that line, I didn’t see the sandwich swap as my way into a series of awesome informational interviews with MBA students — it was my way, as a semi-shy person, to connect with one student at one of my target schools. But I got lucky; the informational interviews I got from this chain of referrals were invaluable, and I think you should do the same!

Reaching Out

Besides sandwiches, how can you go about finding these super valuable students (and alumni)?

Student ambassadors. Many schools have current students who love their schools and want to tell applicants about how great their programs are. I chatted with an NYU Stern student ambassador who had great information about Stern resources that addressed my interests and goals (which I name-dropped in my essays).

Adcoms. Some people are really comfortable forming relationships with adcoms and hitting them up for advice. I was not one of them, but it’s a totally appropriate move — adcoms welcome these interactions and can introduce you to students / alumni with your background or in your field of interest!

Your network. “But I don’t know any MBAs, that’s why I’m reading this blog!” I know, I know. But even non-MBA friends can connect you with amazing people. A writer friend and fellow NU alum knows an adcom at HBS and offered to connect us. Valuable connections can come from unlikely places!

Your other informational interviews. This is standard — ask the person you’re chatting with if they know anyone else you should talk to. That question got me almost all my interviews and a ton of great advice (which I’ll post about soon!).

What to Ask About?

Campus and student life. Students can tell you about specific classes and professors that they loved, what the social scene is like, and other information that’s not on the brochure or website. Ask about what matters to you and try to throw in at least one insightful (or insightful-ish) question — I always asked students what they would change about the school if they could.

Your story and goals. Test out your story and get feedback from students. I didn’t ask for feedback outright, but I found out that my pitch came off very self-aware and well-thought-out, even though it felt like a work in progress to me. I also learned about how schools’ career centers supported entertainment recruiting and what the entertainment job landscape looks like, which was very helpful.

Things you don’t want to ask adcoms. Talking to students (and alumni!) is great because they aren’t your MBA gatekeepers. You can ask for the real story — is this school really as collaborative as advertised? Be sure to research beforehand, but you can use these opportunities to get clarity on some basic things about the school that you don’t want to ask adcoms about.

But… Avoid asking about things like the dating scene or other non-career, non-school questions. A dud informational interview probably won’t negatively affect your application, but asking unprofessional questions could keep you from reaping the full benefits of these interviews. These students only want to help applicants who they think will be a good fit for their schools, so keep your game tight.

]]>https://tvtomba.wordpress.com/2015/08/21/15-minute-admish-tip-set-up-intel-sessions/feed/0856848tvtombaHow Do You Stack Up?https://tvtomba.wordpress.com/2015/08/18/how-do-you-stack-up/
https://tvtomba.wordpress.com/2015/08/18/how-do-you-stack-up/#commentsTue, 18 Aug 2015 17:19:11 +0000http://tvtomba.wordpress.com/?p=1045Continue reading How Do You Stack Up?]]>Wondering how you stack up against other applicants to your dream MBA programs? Check out Clear Admit’s MBA LiveWire, which is a live stream of updates from candidates applying to school (fictitious example: Interview invite from Columbia, 710 GMAT, 3.4 GPA).

If you dig the info about who’s getting into which schools, a couple of similar resources are GMAT Club’s Admit Forum, where applicants post their application stats and results, and Poet and Quant’s Handicapping Your MBA Odds series, where HBR guru John Byrne reviews blind profiles of MBA applicants and gives them an estimate of their likelihood of admission.

Now, I should mention that these things gave me a bit of anxiety while I was applying to school, so I used them sparingly, but they’re worth checking out (especially if you have a stronger stomach than I do) — they can help give you a sense of who else is applying and how they’re all doing.

Another thing to remember is that you are not just the numbers in your application. The GMAT Club forum will give you an idea of the career backgrounds of the other folks applying, and as a non-traditional candidate, you’ll notice that you stand out immediately. Remember that this info is just a starting out point to get a sense of what the applicant pool looks like.

Also, Clear Admit is doing a limited time discount on their awesome school guides with promo code CASG25. They didn’t give a deadline for the promo code, so go get yours today! And if you want awesome blog posts and discounts from MBA admissions-type people in your inbox, make sure to join all the lists!

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Image courtesy of The CW Network.

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]]>https://tvtomba.wordpress.com/2015/08/18/how-do-you-stack-up/feed/2ANTM-america-27s-next-top-model-35803_1600_1200tvtombaAdvice for a Great First Year of B Schoolhttps://tvtomba.wordpress.com/2015/08/15/advice-for-a-great-first-year-of-b-school/
https://tvtomba.wordpress.com/2015/08/15/advice-for-a-great-first-year-of-b-school/#commentsSat, 15 Aug 2015 22:32:00 +0000http://tvtomba.wordpress.com/?p=1040Continue reading Advice for a Great First Year of B School]]>I want to share a recent Kellogg blog post by Rohan Rajiv, “Making the Most of Your First Year in an MBA Program.” I haven’t met Rohan yet, but I’m super excited to — he’s one of the students planning Kellogg’s CIM orientation week, so he’ll definitely be around. His posts are great because they’re thoughtful, detailed (read: long, in a great way!), and comprehensive. This latest post is about what he learned from his first year at Kellogg — everything from daily routine to how he decided what social activities to attend.

If you like that blog post, Rohan also blogs daily (yes, DAILY) at A Learning A Day. I recommend checking it out!

And if you’re looking for new b school blogs to follow, I also totally recommend the Kellogg blog. Most schools have their own admissions blogs and student blogs. Kellogg has a mix of students, adcom members, alumni, and faculty as bloggers, which is pretty awesome. When I was applying, I also loved the UT McCombs student blog and think it’s a great way to virtually get to know a really warm and friendly student body.